Summary:

If you truly-value sharp and bright output, you can’t go wrong with the The UO Smart Beam Laser. Although it is small and lightweight, it can go head to head with larger projectors out in the market today all thanks to its built-in laser technology. However, if you also value other connection options like memory cards and USBs, you might be better off with something else.

The UO Smart Beam Laser is lightweight and small with a cube-like design that can sometimes be a little too awkward to put in your pockets. But how does this little projector fair with your viewing needs? Today, we find out.

But first things first who made this projector?

The Smart Beam Laser projector is not made by some unknown, dubious international tech brand. It is manufactured by United Object – hence the acronym UO in the product name. It is a subsidiary of Sunkyoung Telecom, mostly known as SK Telecom. What is the company’s relation to one of the largest South Korean conglomerates called SK Group? Well, SK Group owns a lot of subsidiaries one of which is SK Telecom.

Now that we know who made this cube-shaped projector, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of this device.

The Focus-Free Projector

The Smart Beam Laser currently boasts itself as the smallest projector using a LCOS technology. Instead of using LED-type bulbs as its light source, it harnesses the power of laser diodes. You might be thinking, “Laser? Isn’t that dangerous for my eyes?” The Smart Beam Laser will not ruin your eyesight. This device is FDA-Registered, classified as a Class 1 Eye-safe Laser Projector – the one and only gadget in the world to be recognized safe for your eyes. As a matter of fact, this projector is a 2016 CES Award Winner because of its innovation.

What does that have to do with your viewing pleasure? Everything. While other projectors are equipped with keystone for focusing, the UO Smart Beam Laser doesn’t because it doesn’t have to!

The advanced laser technology will automatically focus the projected image at any distance, even when the projected surface is uneven. Using such hybrid system also means better resolution and brightness output. It’s rated at 100 lumens, 1000:1 contrast ratio, and a resolution of 1280x720HD.

Out of the Box

The UO Smart Beam Laser only measures 2.2 inches and weighs about 7.36 ounces or 208 grams. If you compare it to our previously reviewed RIF6 Cube projector, the size and weight are not that far off – the RIF6 also comes with the same 2-inch measurement but it’s on a lighter side, about 40 grams less than the Smart Beam Laser.

The design of the Smart Beam is simple yet elegant with dark brown and bronze color combination. The color may be a hit or miss for some, however, we appreciate UO steered away from the typical and somewhat boring white or silver finish – not that the Smart Beam needs to get more attention, it already won our hearts with its built-in laser technology.

Upfront, you will find its single projector lens while on top you will find its triangle power button. On the left side, you will find a Micro-HDMI and the other is the micro USB input unfortunately only for charging. On the bottom is a rubberized bottom. Unfortunately, you won’t find a slot for any of your memory cards.

The UO Smart Beam Laser comes with its own battery, allowing you to use the device without the need to connect it to a power supply. Charging however takes too long – about four hours and you will only get 2 hours of battery life.

How about speakers? Well, the UO Smart Beam Laser has only one built-in speaker with a 1W rating. Technically speaking you would get muffled output especially if you use the projector in a large room. As a consolation, the device can connect via a Bluetooth speaker. Take note you can’t use an audio cable because there’s no port for it.

Connectivity

Just like any other pico projector out in the market today, the UO Smart Beam Laser boasts connectivity across different devices, whether it is a smartphone, action camera, computer, laptop or a tablet. You can establish connection in two ways – Wi-Fi or cable.

If you truly-value sharp and bright output, you can’t go wrong with the The UO Smart Beam Laser. Although it is small and lightweight, it can go head to head with larger projectors out in the market today all thanks to its built-in laser technology. However, if you also value other connection options like memory cards and USBs, you might be better off with something else.